15/05/2026
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A Series for National Heritage Month 2026
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In celebration of the National Heritage Month 2026, the San Beda Alabang Museum and Archives looks back on the institutionβs beginnings as Benedictine Abbey School and traces its transformation through the years into St. Benedict College and in present-day, the San Beda College Alabang. Through archival photographs and shared recollections, this series presents side-by-side glimpses of selected Bedan heritage that continue to shape the identity of the community today.
As plans were being made for a new Benedictine educational institution in Alabang, one of the first priorities was creating spaces where students could learn, grow, and live out Benedictine values. Through the vision and craftsmanship of the MaΓ±osa brothers and Bedan alumni Jose βPingoy,β Francisco βBobby,β and Manuel Jr. βManolingβ MaΓ±osa, Mary the Queen and St. Joseph Halls became the first two buildings of the Benedictine Abbey School.
Construction began in November 1971 and was completed just in time for the schoolβs opening in July 1972. BAS first opened its doors to 78 students under the leadership of Elena Racho, the schoolβs first head teacher, who developed the curriculum for kindergarten and preparatory based on its unique non-graded system. Joining her were Josefina Abunda, Anunciacion βAnnieβ Sevilla, and Lydia Navasca, who formed the pioneering teaching staff of the institution.
From the very beginning, Mary the Queen Hall already echoed with the voices of young students attending preschool, kindergarten, and grade school classes. St. Joseph Hall, meanwhile, first served as the Rectory or residence of the Benedictine monks assigned to the Alabang campus before later becoming the administratorsβ offices. Today, both buildings continue to serve generations of Bedans as classrooms for preschool and grade school students of San Beda College Alabang.
Beside these halls once stood a hexagonal swimming pool where students spent carefree afternoons swimming, laughing, and cooling off after classes. While the pool no longer holds water and now serves as a training ground for SBCA security dogs, many alumni still remember it as part of their childhood on campus β a small but unforgettable piece of everyday Bedan life.
More than just school buildings, Mary the Queen and St. Joseph Halls became part of the memories of those who grew up within them. Their corridors witnessed nervous first days of school, classroom recitations, playful recess conversations, and friendships that lasted long after graduation. For generations of Bedans, these halls are not only reminders of the institutionβs early years, but also of a childhood shaped by learning, community, and the Bedan spirit.
Bedans, what memories does Mary the Queen and St. Joseph halls hold for you?
